The Center for Disease Control (CDC) has reported a multi-state outbreak of shiga-toxin producing E. coli 026 (STEC) infections linked to raw clover sprouts at Jimmy John’s restaurants.
So far, 12 people have been infected with the outbreak strain of STEC 026. The case distribution is:
Two people have been hospitalized, but no deaths have occurred as of February 15, 2012.
Posted in Clostridium botulinum, E.coli, E.coli O157, Eurofins Laboratories, FDA, Food Illness, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Testing, Listeria monocytogenes, Microbiology, outbreak, Pathogen, Salmonella
Tagged fda, food and drug, food and drug administration, food and drug administration fda, food safety news
Almost 230,000 pounds of Robert’s cut leaf curly spinach is being recalled in 30 pound totes because of possible contamination with E. coli 0157:H7. The recall was announced only to the company’s customers by snail mail. (post)
Posted in E.coli, E.coli O157, Eurofins Laboratories, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Microbiology, outbreak
Tagged contamination, e coli, food poisoning
A major meat safety initiative by the USDA under the Obama Administration will be delayed three months to give the industry extra time to validate their test methods for detecting six additional types of toxic E. coli.
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) and New Middleast Supermarket, 1755 Bank Street, Ottawa, ON are warning the public not to consume the finely ground beef described below because the product may be contaminated with E. coliO157:H7.
The affected ground beef is a finely ground raw beef known to be used for Kebbeh. This product was sold on December 28 and 29, 2011from the New Middleast Supermarket, 1755 Bank Street, Ottawa, ON. This product was likely served from the fresh meat counter in plastic bags wrapped with paper. The packages may not bear a label identifying store name and other information. Consumers are advised to contact the retailer if you are unsure as to whether you have the affected beef product stored in your home freezer.
There has been one confirmed illness associated with the consumption of this product.
In this study, the presence of Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella spp., Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli were investigated in a total of 200 traditional food samples sold in the province of Balikesir in Turkey. L. monocytogenes was detected in 5% of Mihalic cheese samples and 3% of Hosmerim dessert samples. Salmonella spp. was not detected in any of foods. The high prevalence and contamination levels of S. aureus were found in Mihalic cheese (100% and mean 2.69 log CFU/g) and Hosmerim dessert (64% and mean 2 log CFU/g) samples. E. coli was not found in Hosmerim dessert samples while the prevalence and contamination level of E. coli in Mihalic cheese samples were 43% (mean 1.23 log CFU/g). The isolation of L. monocytogenes and other foodborne pathogens from Mihalic cheese and Hosmerim dessert samples indicates that these foods could create serious risk to the public health.
We investigated an outbreak of non-O157 Shiga toxin–producing Escherichia coli at a high school in Minnesota, USA, in November 2010. Consuming undercooked venison and not washing hands after handling raw venison were associated with illness. E. coli O103:H2 and non-Shiga toxin–producing E. coli O145:NM were isolated from ill students and venison.
Health Protection Scotland (HPS) said it had recorded 253 positive cases of E.coli during 2011, up from 212 the previous year.
The agency blamed the increase on a UK-wide outbreak believed to have originated from contaminated vegetables. The outbreak, between December 2010 and July 2011, saw 250 cases of E.coli infection throughout England, Wales and Scotland and 74 victims treated in hospital.
The agency blamed the increase on a UK-wide outbreak believed to have originated from contaminated vegetables. The outbreak, between December 2010 and July 2011, saw 250 cases of E. coli infection throughout England, Wales and Scotland and 74 victims treated in hospital.
However, the HPS report also noted that the apparent spike in E. coli between 2010 and 2011 was partly due to the unusually low rate of E. coli infection in 2010.
The report also noted decreases in salmonella and campylobacter.
In 2011, HPS received reports of 736 cases of salmonella infection – a decrease of almost 22% on the 941 reported in 2010.
Cases of campylobacter were also down 3.6% to 6366 last year, although the figure remains “one of the highest on record.”
The one-year-old was infected with the bacteria and was hospitalised two weeks ago, and is now recovering.
Just four serious incidents following O113 infection have ever been recorded in Europe. Antibiotics are not prescribed for the bacteria, but fluids are the best course of action to combat it instead.
The Brattås nursery in Nøtterøy, Vestfold, where the child attends has been asked to tighten up its hygiene policy.
Assistant General Manager Stig André Kragnes told Tønsbergs Blad, Saturday, “All door handles and other contact surfaces are to be cleaned. This is in addition to the other extraordinary hygiene measures we have initiated. We are collaborating with community health services.
FoodWorld 